Woman refused to give specimen

A woman driver was stopped by police because she had her headlights on full beam and could have dazzled other drivers.

Laura Durr took a roadside breathalyser test which proved positive for alcohol but would not given the required specimen at the police station.

Durr, a 33-year-old single mother, of Linden Mews, Lytham St Annes, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath sample.

Prosecutor, Adrian Hollamby, said police stopped Durr’s car on Warley Road on October 10 at 1.55am, after seeing her driving on full-beam headlights. A roadside breath test showed 46 micrograms of alcohol in her body – the limit is 35.

At the police station she failed to provide the required specimen.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had stopped drinking at 9pm and then watched films with a friend. She believed she was fine to drive.

She set off in her car which was new and bought to transport her to cleaning jobs round the district, but had the headlights on full.

She was extremely nervous after the police stopped her. Durr said the police made it seem like she had an option not to give a sample and nothing would happen.

She was banned from the road for 12 months, fined £100 and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.